Improvement in fruit-boxes



C. W. WESTON.

FRUIT BOXES.

No.184,565. Patehted Nov.21,1876.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

CHARLES W. WESTOIL OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN FRUIT-BOXES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. [84,565 dated November 21, 1876; application filed September 9, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. WESTON, of the city and county of San Francisco, and State ofCalifornia, have invented an Improvement in Fruit and Berry Boxes, of which the following'is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings. 1

The particular class of fruit and berry baskets or boxes to which my invention relates are made of thin wood-shavings or veneers. The most common method of constructing these boxes is to take two strips of veneer, of the proper width, and cross their middles, so as to form the bottom of the box. The four ends are then turned up to form the four sides of the box, and a metallic binding stiii'ensand preserves the proper shape of the boxes.

lzleretofore boxes of this class have only. been made in small sizes, suitable only for containing one or two pounds of small fruit, such as berries and the like. The reason of this was that the manufacturers, even in constructing the small boxes above referred to, insisted that the metallic binding must be made in one continuous piece, in order to give the boxes the requisite strength and durability, and they therefore purchased tin in the sheet, in order to be able to cut out single strips of sufficient length. to encompass the entire top of the box.

I have discovered, however, that I can employ any number of short strips of sheet metal for binding not only the small'berry-boxes, but that 1 can manufacture large boxes or baskets capable of containing large fruit, and at the same time render them sufliciently rigid and durable. This enables me to make the small boxes cheaper than heretofore, because 1 can use certain kinds of scrap-tin (the refuse from tin-shops) for the binding-strips; and

A represents a box or basket, whichis made of two strips of veneer of thin wood-shavings, crossed upon each other to form the bottom of the box, while the ends are turned up to form the sides of the box. These upturned ends are held in place and stiliened by a metallic binding, as represented. Instead of using one continuous piece of metal to form the binding-strip, I use two or more short pieces, b b, and overlap their ends, as at a, so that the end of one strip will fasten upon the end of the adjoining strip on each side. I am also careful that each corner shall be formed at or near the middle of a short strip, so as to give rigid corners. v

In binding a box, I prefer to first apply the strips which bind and form the corners, and then fill up the space between them with other overlapping binding-strips. This arrangement, as above stated, enables me also to make large boxes in this manner.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. The improvement in binding for berryboxes, A, consisting of two or more strips of sheet metal, b b, the ends of which overlap each other, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. As a new article of manufacture, baskets or boxes for large fruit, consisting of two veneers crossed at right angles to each other, and having the ends of said strips turned up to form the sides of the box, when the edges of said strips are held in place and stifl'ened by two or more strips of metallic binding, the ends of which overlap each other, substantially as and for the purpose described. I

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

CHARLES W. WESTON. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

OLWYN T. STACY, FRANK A. BROOKS. 

